


for all the friends that we have lost

by swiftishere



Series: MSA One-Shots [1]
Category: Mystery Skulls Animated
Genre: Gen, Medium!Arthur (Mystery Skulls Animated), about a year and a half later to be exact, in which lewis thinks about murder and absolutely nobody is happy, set in the undefined time period between lewis dying and ghost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-08-25 03:19:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16653283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swiftishere/pseuds/swiftishere
Summary: It's been over a year with no sign of their friend. The gang holds a small birthday memorial, unaware the guest of honor is present and watching.





	for all the friends that we have lost

**Author's Note:**

> take some old-fashioned vague angst with remembering vivi, medium arthur and overly blunt mystery. oh, and some confused angry lewis just to top it off.  
> (edit i can't believe i forgot to mention this - title comes from "the party" by regina spektor. this is the only way i'm titling fics from now on.)

The van was stopped on the side of the road – the first pit stop since the grocery store a few hours back. They were probably going to sleep for the night. It was the perfect opportunity.

 

Lewis watched from a ditch on the side of the road as the three remaining members of Mystery Skulls Paranormal Investigations got out, each carrying a bag.

 

Mystery dropped his before clearing his throat and saying “Utensils, candles.”

 

“Cake,” said Vivi as she set hers down next to it.

 

“Lighter, plates,” said Arthur, the last one to put his bag down.

 

From his hiding place, Lewis couldn’t help but squint in confusion. What were they up to? It was almost like they were having an impromptu party, but the atmosphere felt too somber for…

 

 _Oh_.

 

That was today, wasn’t it?

 

You tended to lose track of time when you were on a revenge quest and didn’t need to stop for anything, but Lewis could at least extrapolate that today was his birthday.

 

Had he still been alive, he’d be turning 23.

 

“Right.” Arthur pulled a smallish cake out of the bag Vivi had brought. “Vi, can you open the candles?”

 

“Already on it.” Her voice was muffled because she was pulling the bag of candles apart with her teeth. “By the way, if my mouth gets stuck shut because of the cake I’m suing you.”

 

“The caramel cakes are his _favorite_! It’s _symbolic_.”

 

“It’s _unnecessary_ is what it is.” Vivi tossed him the pack of candles, which he wasn’t prepared for and smacked him in the face. “We could have just gone with a shortcake! It’s not like he’s…” she trailed off and looked down at the ground. “…you know, here to enjoy it.”

 

There was an uncomfortable silence as Arthur put the candles in the cake. Mystery was the one who broke it. “It’ll be better for later, anyway. Objects with a personal connection to the deceased have more power when calling them.”

 

“Well, that doesn’t matter,” said Arthur firmly. “Vi, you wanna do the honors?”

 

“Huh? Oh, yeah, sure,” she said, taking the lighter and carefully lighting the candles.

 

“ _It doesn’t matter?_ ” whispered Lewis to himself. “ _What the hell does that mean_?”

 

“Should we do it now?” asked Vivi, looking at Mystery, “while the cake’s still whole?”

 

“Maybe we could wait, you know, just-“ Arthur started.

 

“No, that’s a good call. It’ll work better.”

 

“I really think we could-“

 

Mystery suddenly stood, fur bristling. “Oh, come _on_ , Arthur! If you’re so sure he’s still out there, what are you scared of? Worried you’ll be proven wrong? What’s it matter if we get to _see him_ -“ he snapped, a growl rising in his voice.

 

“ _Mystery_ ,” warned Vivi sternly.

 

He growled a little still, but sat back down when he took another look at Arthur, who had backed up against the van, arm raised protectively in front of his face and fear showing in his eyes.

 

Vivi held out her hands, one to each of her friends. “Come on, guys. Let’s get this over with, then we can all eat the shitty cake and be sad.” She tried to sound joking, but she couldn’t pierce through the uncomfortable atmosphere.

 

They all joined hands and closed their eyes, Mystery practically having to lie down so his tiny dog legs could reach both of them at the same time. Arthur took a deep breath, then started to speak, his eyes glowing with a familiar light.

 

They were holding a seance.

 

“ _Spirits of the beyond_ ,” he said, “ _we pierce the veil that guards you, that we might meet with one of you_.” Lewis put a hand on one of the deadbeats, which had started to float forward towards the group.

 

Vivi opened her eyes next- “ _or if that soul cannot be found with you, let it be found on this mortal plane, and brought between us once more._ ” Now Lewis himself felt the pull, and had to put the other hand over the orange heart that housed his soul.

 

Mystery completed the circle- “ _rise again, Lewis, treasured friend. Rise again that we might see your face once more_.”

 

Lewis didn’t budge. The summons were easy to resist if you knew they were happening and didn’t want to answer.

 

The three held their positions for a little more, then they all dropped their hands and the light faded.

 

“There, see?” said Arthur, sounding relieved. “I told you. He- he can’t answer.”

 

Vivi leaned forward and put her head in her hands. “Yeah, that’s great.”

 

Mystery sat up and shook the magic static out of his fur. “Is it? If he’s not dead, and we haven’t found _any sign_ of him, it could mean that he’s avoid-

 

“Mystery for once in your life, _read the goddamn room!_ ” Vivi shouted.

 

There was a few moment’s pause.

 

“So,” said Mystery carefully, glancing at Vivi, “the cake?”

 

\---

 

Later that night, after everyone else has gone to bed, Arthur stepped out of the back of the van. He moved slowly, trying not to make too much noise and wake up his sleeping friends.

 

Lewis can hardly believe his luck. He’s got him _alone_ , in the _dark_ , on a road in the middle of _nowhere_. It was the _perfect_ opportunity to–

 

“Lewis?” said Arthur.

 

The ghost froze.

 

“You’re, uh…” he laughed and shook his head, sitting down and leaning against the car. “…you’re not there. I kinda hoped… man, that’d be a miracle, huh?”

 

 _He doesn’t know_. Lewis can’t breathe, but he lets out a sigh of relief all the same.

 

“I… I didn’t think… I knew the cake thing wouldn’t work. How could it? You’re alive. You’re just… hard to find. That’s all, heh.”

 

Was he serious? Or did he know Lewis was there, and was just mocking him?

 

“But I _am_ gonna find you, okay? Next year, you’ll be able to enjoy your terrible cake in person. We can catch up… you can tell us all the places you’ve been, and we can tell you about the half-dead girl and the crazy house.” Arthur smiled as he remembered it. “I still can’t believe that house was a real place someone lived in.”

 

“But… you know, I could use a little help. A sign, maybe? _Any_ indication of where you are? I’d take a cardinal direction at this point, man. It’s been over a year and… nothing. I’m starting to think, maybe…” he shook his head. “No, nah, you’re right, I know. I can’t just give up. Because you’re not…”

 

He leaned back, looking up at the stars. “…you’re not dead, right?”

 

 _Now, while he was distracted_. Lewis channeled his confusion into a fireball and readied it, but…

 

He just couldn’t bring himself to throw it.

 

“…yeah,” said Arthur, closing his eyes. “Yeah, everything’s gonna be okay. I just gotta keep looking.”

 

Lewis barely noticed as he went back inside. What was _wrong_ with him? He had the _perfect_ shot, and he threw it away.

 

He swatted irritably at the little deadbeat on his shoulder, which was applauding him.

 

There’d be another opportunity later, if he just kept waiting. But… it felt wrong, on his birthday. That was all. It was probably bad luck or something. This wasn’t over just because Arthur had said some confusing stuff.

 

It was just a temporary pause.


End file.
